How To Cook Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Purple sprouting broccoli (PSB) is one of spring’s greatest treasures. Discover how to cook it to bring out its best qualities and enjoy this standout member of the brassica family. It’s at its peak between February and April, although some varieties appear as early as January and linger into May.

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We had our first PSB of the season in our Riverford organic veg box (affiliate link) a couple of weeks ago. It was a complete joy and so fresh I didn’t need to trim the ends off. I’ve bought it locally a couple of times since, but I’m hoping we’ll be getting more in this week’s box.

Dive Right In

What Is Purple Sprouting Broccoli?

Purple sprouting broccoli (PSB) is a hardy member of the brassica family and a close relative of the more familiar calabrese. Unlike its chunkier cousin, it features lots of long tender stems topped by delicate purple florets which have a sweeter, nuttier flavour.

In the UK, it’s in season through February to April so it’s a great filler for the hungry gap, when not much else grows.

PSB is nutrient dense and just what we all need after a winter of heavy carbs. It’s full of fibre and thus great for gut health. As well as the vitamins C, K, A, folates and B-complex vitamins found in calabrese, it also contains anthocyanin. This is the potent antioxidant found in purple foods such as blackberries, blueberries and red cabbage.

You can eat it raw when it’s really fresh and tender. Indeed it makes a fine salad ingredient or dipper. I generally prefer to cook it, however as cooking bring out the flavour.

Why You’ll Want To Cook Purple Sprouting Broccoli

• Milder and sweeter than regular broccoli – if you’re wondering what purple sprouting broccoli tastes like, it has a delicate, slightly nutty flavour.
• Tender from tip to stem – the stems, leaves and florets are all edible, so there’s no waste and minimal prep.
• A seasonal British vegetable to look out for – purple sprouting broccoli is at its best from February to April, making it a must-cook spring ingredient.
• Quick and easy to cook – best served simply, PSB is perfect for boiling, steaming, roasting or even stir-frying. It takes just minutes to cook.
• Healthy and nutritious – rich in fibre, vitamins C and K as well as antioxidants, PSB is a great addition to a balanced diet.
• Naturally colourful and appealing – the stems turn bright green when cooked and the purple florets deep green, which adds visual appeal to any meal.
• Versatile ingredient – use purple sprouting broccoli as a simple side dish or as an ingredient in pasta dishes, grain bowls and stir-fries.

Cooked Purple Sprouting Broccoli

No spring is complete unless I’ve had a few servings of purple sprouting broccoli. If you’ve never tried it before, it’s a bit like the more widely available calabrese, only better. It’s tenderer and nuttier in flavour. The season is short, so it’s not a veg you’re likely to get bored of.

As I say in my How To Cook Brussels Sprouts post, purple sprouting broccoli is best cooked and served simply. Depending on what you’re planning to eat it with, just boil it lightly in a little salted water then drain and serve. It really doesn’t need any extras, but after the first tastings of the season a spritz of lemon juice or a knob of garlic butter never go amiss.

Having said that, a plate of cooked purple sprouting broccoli makes a delicious lunch with a fried egg to accompany it. In this case you might like to dress it with some crispy chilli oil, chilli butter, garlic butter or just a little lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.

PSB lends itself well to Asian flavours and excels in a stir-fry. You can also incorporate it into a frittata or quiche, add it to a one-pot meal for the last few minutes of cooking or use it in a grain bowl.

I usually boil mine, but always, always keep the water they’ve boiled in. Some of the nutrients will have leached into the water, so you don’t want to lose them. It’s great to add to gravy, stocks or soup, but if I don’t have any of those on the go, I just drink it. It’s surprisingly delicious.

Sadly the purple heads turn green when cooked. But save the water as I do and you won’t miss out on those anthocyanins.

Flavours That Pair Well With Purple Sprouting Broccoli

How To Cook Purple Sprouting Broccoli

I like purple sprouting broccoli best when it’s part steamed, part boiled. That is to say that I use a small amount of water that the stems sit in, but the tenderer purple heads steam out of the water. This is the method I’ve given in the recipe card below, but you’ll also find how to steam, stir-fry or roast it in this section.

Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for cooking temperatures and quantities of ingredients used.

Prepare Purple Sprouting Broccoli

If the broccoli is fresh, you won’t need to do anything other than give it a quick rinse. If the end of the stems no longer look green or are a bit woody, then just trim them off before cooking.

The ends you can see in the image here are fresh and green and I only trimmed a couple for illustration purposes. They didn’t need it.

Keep the stems and heads attached along with any leaves. If possible, try to keep them to a more or less equal size.

To Boil PSB

For the fastest, easiest and best results boil (blanch) the broccoli stems. To do this, place about a centimetre (half an inch) of water in a small to medium lidded pan and add a pinch of salt.

Place the stems in the water, but try to keep the heads above it. This means the thicker stems will cook fast in the water whilst the more delicate florets will steam gently above.

Place the lid on the pan and bring it to the boil. Lower the temperature to a simmer and cook until tender. This will take three to four minutes.

For the best eating experience, the stems should be tender, but still have a bit of a bite to them. If a knife slips in easily, they’re done.

Drain the water, but don’t throw it away, it’s full of good things and tastes rather nice. You can drink it as is, add a little miso to it for a quick cup of miso soup or save it to add to gravy, stock, soups or stews.

Serve the broccoli straight away whilst still hot. Eat it just as it is, add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a knob of butter or some garlic butter, if liked.

To Steam PSB

The next easiest method is to steam the broccoli. It will take five to six minutes to steam the stems.

Either use a dedicated steamer or a lidded saucepan and a steamer basket. Fill the saucepan with three centimetres (about an inch) of water. Set the basket on top and lay the PSB in the basket.

Cover with a lid, bring to the boil then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until tender, but still firm. If a knife slips in easily, they’re done.

To Roast or Air-Fry PSB

Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan, 400℉, Gas 6) or the air fryer to 180℃ (350℉).

In a large bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over the PSB. Add a pinch of salt, then massage the oil and salt into the stems and heads.

Place the stems in a single layer on a roasting tray or in the air fryer basket and roast (air-fry) for eight to ten minutes or six to eight minutes respectively. Shake the air-fryer basket after the first four minutes.

Once roasted to your idea of perfection, squeeze a little lemon juice over the stems before serving.

To Stir-Fry PSB

Stir-fry purple sprouting broccoli over a high heat in a little hot oil for three to five minutes. The stems should be tender but still crisp.

Add garlic, ginger or chilli during the last minute of frying and a little soy sauce at the end. You can also add tofu or tempeh to make it into a more substantial dish.

Top Tip – if you don’t like it overly crunchy, add a little water part way through so the broccoli can steam. Just make sure you cover the pan.

Swap Broccoli For Purple Sprouting Broccoli In These Recipes

Keep in Touch

Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try my recipe for purple sprouting broccoli, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or tips for using it?

Please rate the recipe too. And do tag me @choclette8 on Instagram with your images, I really enjoy seeing your take on my recipes.

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Choclette x

How To Cook Purple Sprouting Broccoli. PIN IT.

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